Hundreds of women risk health by 'fertility tourism'

Hundreds of older women every month could be putting their health at risk by traveling abroad for fertility treatment they cannot get in Britain, a new study suggests.

By Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent in Amsterdam Published: 2:39PM BST 29 Jun 2009So-called "fertility tourists" are flocking to countries like the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where women aged 40 and upwards can get treatment they would not be eligible for on the NHS because of their age. The practice hit the headlines earlier this year when it was revealed that Elizabeth Adeney, 66, had become Britain's oldest mother after fertility treatment in the Ukraine. British women over 40 are often deemed to old to receive free IVF treatment on the NHS. Searching for a cheaper option than the private sector, where cycles of IVF can cost up to £6,000, women are instead going abroad, although there has been little information on how many would-be mothers are plumping for this option. Experts warned that older women, particularly those over the age of 50, who become pregnant are more at risk of dangerous complications, including paralysis and stroke. Clinics outside Britain also often have much higher rates of risky multiple pregnancies, which can lead to complications such as premature birth, and are not subject to the same checks and regulations as British centres. In this country clinics are encouraged to reduce the chance of a multiple birth by placing only one embryo into a woman's womb for every cycle of In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). However, foreign clinics often use two or even three embryos at a time, increasing the risk that a woman will become pregnant with twins or triplets. Researchers looked at statistics on the number of foreign patients being treated in clinics in six countries, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. In just one month, the centres treated 1,230 patients from overseas. While the majority were from Italy, 31.8 per cent, and Germany, 14.4 per cent, Britain came sixth on the list, making up 4.3 per cent of the patients who travelled abroad for help to become pregnant. Dr Francoise Shenfield, from University College Hospital in London, who led the study, presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (Eshre) conference in Amsterdam, said that hundreds of British women could be visiting foreign clinics every month. The majority, more than six in 10, were over the age of 40, the figures show, with the oldest in this study aged 49. "Access is a big reason for women from the UK," said Dr Shenfield. "It's very difficult for us to get funding for patients over the age of 39. "When they're 39 or 40 they're stuck. Britain is bad at access." A recent change in the law, which removed the right to anonymity for egg donors, had also led to a fall in the number of eggs available for women needing fertility treatment in Britain, she said. More than one in three of the British patients, 34 per cent, said that the struggle to access fertility treatment at home was why they travelled abroad. Dr Shenfield added that older women needed to be warned more about the dangers they could face, including stroke, paralysis and diabetes. Prof Basil Tarlatzis, president of the International Federation of Fertility Societies, called for closer monitoring of British women who go abroad for treatment. He said: "We need to make sure that standards are maintained, and that the results of these visits are available for evaluation."

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Aryan Artin Health is newly entered in medical tourism field.The parent company, Arman Artin is founded in 2000 in medical field and we are a division of this company in medical tourism.

The medical field continues to make dramatic progress year after year; progress that realizes people’s dreams for a better life. This progress is the combined result of excellence in medical techniques, equipment and medicines. Sometimes theses needs are not affordable and If there is a single aspect of your life whereyou can’t afford to make compromises, it’s in medicine and healthcare.

We have been an established and popular company with an excellent track record for the best customer satisfaction in all medical needs and health care. We have never compromised on the quality and the services provided to thecustomer.

We believe in keeping the customers happy and providing them with services at a very competent price.The unique combination of experience, facilities and natural resources is the key to success of the Aryan Artin Health care system. Apart from these,we also enjoy a unique range of competent medical staff. Medical specialistsand sub-specialists in our team are highly-qualified professionals and are supported by well-trained paramedics and sophisticated medical equipment.There are many reasons for the increased popularity of international medical travel services especially to Iran including:* Exorbitant healthcare costs in industrialized nations* Long waiting lists for surgery in countries offering socializedhealthcare* Ease and affordability of international travel* Favorable currency exchange rates in foreign countries resulting inlow cost surgery* Rapidly improving technology and standards of care in many countries* Proven safety of healthcare in select foreign nations* International accreditation of foreign hospitals

Aryan Artin due to its roots now became to a leading company by providing overwhelming services which covers all above mentioned reasons and needs.

We have an excellent staffs who will guide you with their best ideas by keeping in constant touch with your patients and informing about their recovery.Please feel free to keep in touch with us about any of your business related requirements/queries.We look forward to a wonderful relationship together and success for all concerned.

Happy to be a member of this group and I think medical tourism is a great industry with a lot of potential, we are building a knowledge repository of the most frequently asked medical travel questions and would love for you to contribute your expert opinion. You can share your questions and answers and create a page for your service by visiting http://www.mediquora.com

Delighted to be a member of this group and would like to introduce myself - I am the Managing Director of The Clinic Finder, a fast growing healthcare portal created for patients to find appropriate medical specialists either locally or around the globe. You can get listed free on the site and appear immediately around the world by visiting http://www.theclinicfinder.com

Hi Pavel. I can only go on my experience and those of my patients. If you have a clinic with proven pregnancy/birth rates, I would be happy to investigate their services. Ukraine is very affordable, and therefore patients are attracted- but this is irrelevant without success rates to match those of other destinations.Which clinic do you represent?

Janine, sorry to argue with you but we have many happy customers who will easily challange your statment regarding success rates in Ukraine. Every month we have people coming from UK and EU to Ukraine to get what they want.

Many of my patients requesting infertility treatments are in the 40-50 year old age group. These are often women who have not made a later-in-life decision to have a baby, rather they have tried for many years unsuccessfully before reaching this age.

The transfer of 2 to 3 embryos ( usually donor eggs by this age) gives them a far greater chance of success than restricting them to 1, which is app a 20% chance of success.

Many clinics abroad are happy to accept women up to the age of 50. So, there are many reasons for women to travel for IVF procedures- including reduced costs. Helping a woman of 66 years to become pregnant and risking her health plus the health of the unborn child/children is disturbing to say the least.

At what point are ethics and care for the patient more important than profit? It does not surprise me that this was in the Ukraine- my experience of this so called # 3 destination for IVF has been dismal. The advertised success rates have not met with the reality, infact of the 3 clinics I have previously referred to there, none achieved a single pregnancy.

I believe we have a moral and ethical responsibility to our patients to offer them quality alternatives, where they receive the care they deserve and the best chance of success.

I am tired of what I personally view as the misrepresentation of Ukraine clinics. They are not my number 3- indeed they are at the very bottom of my list.

Unless there are health contradictions, women in their 40's have a high success rate with donor eggs and I see no reason why they should feel 'too old' as decreed by some government body.

My response is to an old post, but perhaps it would be interesting to discuss what is being offered in the BEST interests of women- quality care, successful clinics and even alternatives to radical surgeries?

Our commitment in Beau T Full is to full fill all needs of our customers through the promotion of aesthetic services (medical and dental), providing the expected welfare through the various procedures and treatments performed, and guaranteeing the desired results with an appropriate cost and optimum quality.